


Thinking about the future is thinking about you

by gilleboll



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, High School, Multi, Pining, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2019-10-07 10:32:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17364347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gilleboll/pseuds/gilleboll
Summary: Jake Peralta’s a senior. At this point, school was less about doing well in class and more about trying to enjoy what’s left of it. But how will he be able to enjoy himself when feelings start getting in the way of things?





	1. Chapter 1

Jake Peralta’s a senior. At this point, school was less about doing well in class and more about trying to enjoy what’s left of it. Over the years he had managed to scrape together enough good grades to get by, but more importantly, he had made some great friends. Gina, who he had been friends with since they were both basically babies. Charles, who had sat next to him in history every chance he got since what felt like the beginning of time. Rosa, who shared a surprising amount of classes with him, and who was sometimes incredibly scary. Last but not least, there was Amy, who was so obsessed with school that Jake thought she should seek professional help. He didn’t really know how or why Amy hung out with the rest of them, but he suspected that it had started with her trying to get in good with Terry, and when he moved on to college she just stuck around. As much as Jake hated to admit it, he actually liked having Amy around. This was something Charles insisted on knowing all along, despite the fact that Jake had never told him outright.

 

”Hey Gina, can I have some of your Swedish Fish in exchange for some Goldfish Crackers?” Jake asked at lunch. Gina, who was sitting opposite him didn’t even look up from her phone when she answered him.

”You think I wouldn’t bring Goldfish if I wanted some? Dream on baby boy,” she said and popped another candy in her mouth. Jake groaned theatrically and pulled the hood of his zip-up sweater over his head. He folded his arms on the table and rested his chin on top of them.

”Come on! What’s even the point of having friends if they won’t trade you their candy?” he said with a pointed look at Gina who didn’t notice.

”Jake, dude, you could just walk seriously 30 feet to the vending machine and get your own,” Rosa told him. Jake’s eyes shifted from Gina to Rosa.

”Unlike _some_ people, I’m not loaded.”

”They cost a dollar.”

”I already spent my dollar! Plus I had literally the crappiest morning — I think I deserve some candy. Come on Gina, it’s a fair trade,” he said, turning back to Gina, who had put her phone down to be a part of the conversation. She rolled her eyes but Jake could see the corners of her mouth turning upwards as she handed him a few of her Swedish Fish.

”You’re such a cheapskate,” Amy said.

”I’m _poor_ , Ames. There’s a difference,” Jake retorted between bites.

”I’ve told you for years, Jake, I’d be more than happy to chip in on your lunches,” Charles said, sliding onto the seat next to Rosa.

”Don’t babysit him Charles, he won’t learn to handle his cash,” Amy said, and Jake shot her a look. She didn’t say anything, but she gave him a deadpan look in return. There was a jolt in Jake’s stomach. Oh no.

* * *

Once lunch was over, Jake had somehow ended up in the library with Gina of all people. Well, Amy was there too; but she wasn’t in the same English class as them so technically she was there independently from them.

”Heeey, giiiirl,” Gina said as she sat down next to Amy. ”Any news?”

”You should really let it go, Gina. Kevin’s love-life is none of your business,” Amy whispered. She knew the real reason Gina spent her English classes in the library was to spy on the librarian — mr. Cozner — since she was convinced that he and their French teacher mr. Holt had a thing going on.

”Wow, you call him Kevin now? When’s the wedding?” Jake asked with a grin. Amy shot him a death-glare before returning to her notes. ”C’mon, Amy, it was a joke.”

”I can’t concentrate when you’re talking. I have an essay due next week and ms. Crawford is expecting me to give my A-game,” she said, sounding annoyed. Even though Jake was pretty used to Amy’s emotional ups and downs ahead of assignments, he still got a sinking feeling in his chest when she snapped at him. He didn’t like it, nor did he like how strongly he was reacting to whatever Amy did nowadays. He looked at her as she tucked a few rogue strands of hair behind her ear, and there was that jolt in his stomach again.

 

Please, he couldn’t have a thing for Amy Santiago. There were many reasons why that wouldn’t be good. One: it would mess with the dynamic of the little squad he had going on. Two: Gina wouldn’t let him live that down, he’d be teased until he was on his death bed. Three, and this one’s important: Amy would _never_ have a thing for Jake in return. No, he couldn’t have a thing for Amy. That would for sure end in heartbreak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, i hope you liked reading! comments and kudos are always appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

The first week after winter break wasn’t even over yet and Jake was already running late. He swore quietly as he tried to not get water in his sneakers and failed — more than once. Every now and again he felt a wet snowflake land on his exposed face and he felt the cold trickle down into his navy blue hoodie as the snow melted. Mr. Holt would not be pleased. Thinking of the look his French teacher would give him filled him with a mix of annoyance and anxiety. The thing is, Jake was planning to be on time; but his mom had taken the car. Jake, who hadn’t known this, had slept in a little and awoken to the horrifying realisation that he would have to get to school without the car. He was ripped out of his train of thought when he stepped in a puddle of ice cold water that he had somehow not seen.

 

When he finally got to school, he was surprised by how not late he was: only ten minutes! But once he had actually went to his locker, fetched his books and then sprinted across half the building to get to his class, it wasn’t just ten minutes anymore.

”Sorry I’m late, sir,” he panted upon entering the classrom. Mr. Holt looked up at him from behind his desk. His face was absolutely unreadable, but Jake could guess that he wasn’t exactly pleased.

”En français, Peralta,” the teacher said. Ugh. Why had Jake decided to take French? Not only had he gotten probably the strictest teacher the entire school district had to offer, but he was also decidedly terrible at French.

”Oh. Uhhh...” God, he hated this. He could see Gina snickering in the back of the classroom and if she hadn’t been his oldest friend, he would have seriously considered throwing hands. Well, maybe not literally.

”Uhm, pardon- no. Uh. Je suis....désolé je suis en retard..?” he finally managed, but he wasn’t sure he’d gotten it right. Mr. Holt seemed to think it was acceptable enough though, because he gestured for Jake to take a seat. He hurried over towards the empty desk next to Gina’s, feeling a little as if his soul was a wet sneaker.

”Yikes. Rough morning kiddo?” Gina whispered when he sat down. Jake didn’t really know why she called him ”kiddo”, she was only like, a month older than him. It was just one of those Gina-things that she did without anyone knowing why.

”You could say that,” Jake muttered. ”My mom took the car so I had to walk a bunch, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but outside is really wet.”

”I mean I guess. Why didn’t you just take the bus?”

”Hello? I’m still broke.”

”Huh. I guess I forgot that.”

Their chat was cut short by Mr. Holt, who had suddenly materialised by their desks.

”This doesn’t sound like French,” he said.

”All due respect, but you’re not speaking French either,” Jake retorted without second thought. Turns out that was a bad idea.

”You’re already on thin ice, mr. Peralta. Watch yourself before you end up in detention.”

 

Jake spent the rest of the period keeping his head down, metaphorically and literally. Once the bell rang, he hurried out of the classroom before his teacher would find a reason to keep him.

”See you at lunch,” Gina said, and then Jake and Gina walked their separate ways; she to world history, and he to algebra. He really wished he could go to world history instead though. Not that he was particularly interested in history, but it wasn’t as soul-suckingly boring and difficult as any type of math class. At least he shared algebra with Rosa and Amy. Which meant he wasn’t ever completely screwed, thanks to Amy. The classroom was pretty much empty when he got there, except for Amy, Rosa, and for some reason, Charles. He was sat on top of the desk in front of Rosa’s, and he had apparently broken some kind of boundrary because Rosa kicked his shin and told him to butt out.

”What’s going on?” Jake asked as he sat down at his usual desk behind Amy and next to Rosa.

”Rosa’s into someone and I’m trying to figure out who,” Charles said matter-of-factly.

”You wish,” Rosa replied whilst glaring at Charles. Jake had a hard time seeing Rosa having romantic feelings for anyone they knew. This would probably not be a battle that Charles Boyle would win. More and more people started filing into the classroom, and Charles seemed to take that as his signal to leave.

 

”What’s with everyone snooping around in other people’s love lives?” Amy asked once Chales was out of earshot.

”Because it’s fun!” Jake said with a grin. ”It’s like playing detective.”

Amy rolled her eyes at him and turned back around to face the front of the classroom.

”Oh come on Ames! Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy snooping,” he said, suddenly feeling desperate to hold her attention for a little longer. She turned back around and she looked sternly at him.

”I have limits. Poking around in other people’s love lives is crossing a line.”

”Get off your high horse, Santiago. Like you weren’t rooting like crazy for Terry and Sharon last year,” Jake said, still grinning. Amy exhaled sharply and turned away from him without saying anything. Jake turned to Rosa for backup, but she just shook her head at him.

”Let it go, man.”

 

Amy didn’t join them at lunch. Jake had a gnawing fear that her absence had something to do with him. He aired this concern to Rosa as they were walking together towards the gym for PE.

”I wouldn’t worry about it. If she got pissed at that, then that’s on her,” she told him.

”Yeah,” he said, sounding a little distant; like he wasn’t really all there. ”Hey. Is Charles right? You’re into someone?”

Rosa didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at him. In fact, she was avoiding his eyes.

”He is! Is it someone we know?”

Rosa didn’t answer him this time either.

”Will you ever tell me?”

She looked at him and finally responded with a low voice:

”Maybe if you tell Amy that you’re into her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first off: i’m sorry if the french is weird or bad, i don’t know any french so google translate is my only helper  
> secondly: i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and i hope you’ll want to keep reading !


	3. Chapter 3

Hold on a second.

”What? How’d you-?”

”You’re not good at being subtle, dude.” Rosa glanced at Jake and he thought he saw just a hint of a smug smirk on her lips. He would never live this down.

”I am _so_ subtle!”

”You really aren’t. Anyone with half a brain can pick up on it.”

Jake raised his eyebrows, urging his friend to elaborate. There was no way he was that obvious.

”You talk about her when she’s not around. Like all the time. And when she is around you become Jake, but worse. And you basically radiate heart eyes when you look at her. It’s hell.”

Yowch. At first Jake felt like he should be offended at Rosa’s words, but when he gave it some thought, maybe she was right. He didn’t even notice that he did all that.

”But if I’m being so obvious then why do I need to tell her? She has way more than half a brain so she should know,” he said after a moment’s silent thought.

”Nah, she’s oblivious. You could probably stare at her for like 15 minutes and she wouldn’t pick up on what’s happening. Oh wait you did do that once.”

”That’s a lie and you know it.”

Rosa had that smug face on again when she opened the door to the girls’ locker room.

”Whatever, Jake.”

 

Everyone but Jake had finished changing and gone into the gym when his phone buzzed with a text from Gina.

Gina: ” _so ur into amy?? how embarrassing for u girl_ ”

Jake: ” _You too??!_ ”

Gina: ” _rosa told me_ ”

Gina: ” _its like u think none of us talk to eachother when ur not there to witness it_ ”

Jake: ” _Brb I’m killing Rosa and then I’m coming for you too_ ”

Gina: ” _good luck girl_ ”

Jake: ” _What’s with the girl thing?_ ”

Gina: ” _if u have to ask u dont deserve to know_ ”

Jake: ” _How are we even friends?_ ”

Gina: ” _animal magnetism bby_ ”

Jake: ” _That’s not how it works_ ”

Sigh. Now he really wasn’t ever going to live this down, Gina would tease him until they were both dead and buried. He shoved his phone down in his bag and closed his locker. Better not be late again.

 

Somehow the weather had gotten even worse during the course of the day. The wind had picked up and it was now snowing for real. Jake felt very lucky to have a hood to wear when he saw the many, less fortunate students — including Gina — getting whipped in the face with their own hair as well as large, wet snowflakes.

”Your ass is so lucky I’m giving you a ride,” Gina nearly shouted over the wind as they dashed towards the parking lot. Jake couldn’t come up with something witty to say in return before they reached Gina’s — technically Gina’s mom’s — car, where Charles and Rosa were standing. Well, Rosa was more or less sitting on the hood, but Charles was standing up.

”What are you guys doing here?” Jake asked.

”I was gonna ask for a ride. Boyle is just annoying,” Rosa replied, pointedly not looking at Charles.

”Actually, I was trying to get you to spill who you’re into; then I missed my bus. So now I’m asking for a ride,” Boyle said, shifting his eyes from Rosa to Gina.

”That’ll be $14,” Gina told Charles without missing even a beat.

”What?? But you’re not asking them for money!”

”Yeah, Jake’s an old friend and Rosa’s not a Boyle, so...”

Rosa laughed as she clambered into the back seat of the car.

 

* * *

 

Jake: ” _I’m sorry if I made you mad today_ ”

Amy: ” _I’m fine, Jake; just please think before you speak in the future._ ”

Jake: ” _Not gonna happen_ ”

Jake: ” _That would take away from my charm_ ”

Amy: ” _Ha-ha._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m sorry if this chapter felt a little slow, i promise things will pick up soon!! i hope you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4

On Wednesday during study hall, most of the squad had met up in the library to do their quote-unquote work together. Rosa and Charles were bickering in whispers about something that at least wasn’t who-is-Rosa-into. Jake was sitting with his feet up on the chair next to him, trying to toss balled-up papers into the nearest trashcan. Gina was nowhere to be seen yet. But most importantly — to Jake at least — Amy was sitting across from Rosa, next to Jake, looking consumed by her Latin textbook and accompanying notes. Whenever she wrote down something new in her notebook, she bent down far enough that the end of her ponytail nearly brushed the table. Jake had to stop himself from being outright creepy and just openly stare at her. Instead, he found himself glancing up at her every now and then when he ripped a new piece of paper from his notebook. She really was pretty, even when her hair was a mess and she was chewing up the end of her pencil. Jake was brought back to the real world by Gina, who had finally showed up.

”’Sup Gina?” Rosa asked.

”Oh nothing much, just bringing you the most important announcement of your _lives_ ,” she responded. Her emphasis on the word ”lives” made Amy look up with a scowl.

”I’ve got the place for myself for the rest of the week. Party. My place. Friday. BYOB. Cool? Cool,” Gina said as she glanced around at her friends. ”I’d love to hang around but I’ve got important business to tend to. Good chat, byeeee.” And with that, she had left their corner of the library and was hovering around other tables, inviting people she deemed worthy to her place on Friday. Jake felt a grin spread across his face as he turned towards the people still at the table.

”How great is this?” he asked excitedly.

”Dude. It’s a house party. At Gina’s. How great can it be?” Rosa deadpanned.

”I think it’s great,” Charles said with a smile. ”It’s been a while since we all hung out last.”

Jake gestured at Charles in agreement and shot a pointed look at Rosa.

”Plus, I’ve never seen you drunk and I’m absolutely dying to.”

”Good! Because you’re never going to,” Rosa said, sounding sarcastically chipper.

”What? You’re not going?” Jake asked with a surprising amount of devastation in his voice.

”I’m not telling you,” she replied, sounding amused.

”You can’t do that to me; I’m a sensitive soul!” Jake clutched his chest and pulled his best hurt face, which was unconvincing to say the least.

 

On their way to their American history classroom Jake took the opportunity to talk to Amy. She was difficult to get ahold of lately because of an upcoming exam in Latin which was quote, ”really important”.

”So, are you going to Gina’s on Friday?” he asked. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her jump a little when he spoke — she had probably been lost in thought — and it was if his insides were filled with butterflies. Keep it together, Peralta.

”No, I don’t think so. I have the exam to think about and I have no way of getting there.” Despite everything about Amy Santiago, she had yet to get a driver’s license — something that Jake genuinely struggled to understand. The girl seemed to love tests, so why not take the driving test? He had wanted to ask her about it for a while, but the subject never came up.

”Hold on a second. Isn’t your exam _on_ Friday?” he asked her with a raised eyebrow.

”...Yes?”

”Genuine question; if your exam is _before_ the party, then how is it keeping you from going?”

Amy rolled her eyes.

”Fine. It isn’t. But still, I can’t get to Gina’s place on Friday,” she said without looking at Jake.

”Come on, Santiago, don’t be such a nerd! You deserve to unwind a little! I’ll be your ride,” he said with a smile. Amy didn’t answer at first, but she looked like she was considering. After a short but still somehow unending silence she spoke.

”I’ll text you,” she said in a firm voice. There would be no questioning her desicion, he could tell.

”Wait... is that a yes?”

Amy didn’t answer him.

”Amy? Is that a yes?” he asked again.

”Yeah. I’ll text you,” she repeated in the same firm tone as before. Suddenly, Jake wanted to leap with joy, but there was something that kept him grounded. What if he got his hopes up and then she’d change her mind and not want to go? Despite previous let-downs and even heartbreaks, Jake found it surprisingly easy to get his hopes up. In fact, it was harder to keep his hopes down. The thought of him and Amy alone in a car made his stomach soar.

 

Amy: ” _Pick me up at 8 o’clock on Friday?_ ”

Jake: ” _Sure_ ”

Amy: ” _You still have my adress, right?_ ”

Jake: ” _Sure do_ ”

Amy: ” _Great! Then it’s a date._ ”

 

 _Then it’s a date_. Jake knew that’s a thing people say about just about anything, but he still couldn’t stop staring at the words on his phone screen with what felt like the doofiest grin on his face. Thank god he was home alone. _Date_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you liked this chapter! i’m quite excited about the party coming up and i hope you are as well!


	5. Chapter 5

It was Thursday night and Amy still hadn’t changed her mind and canceled on him, which was good. Jake figured that the less he heard from Amy about Gina’s party, the better the chances that she’d still wanna go. He had given up on homework for tonight — he found himself unable to concentrate on something for longer than five minutes at a time — and was ”watching” TV. In reality, his mind was too busy for that too and his thoughts kept racing back and forth and did not center around the goings on in Westeros. No, his thoughts were going all over the place. He was imagining all sorts of scenarios; one second he was an action hero on par with John McClane, and the other he was winning an argument against mr. Holt. Surprising fact; his racing mind was very good at keeping him from thinking about things he preferred not thinking about, such as rejection. His phone buzzed briefly next to him. He glanced down at the screen and suddenly his thoughts were very unhelpful.

Amy: ” _Are you going to be drinking at the party?_ ”

Jake: ” _Idk probably_ ”

Jake: ” _Why?_ ”

Amy: ” _How am I going to get home?_ ”

Jake: ” _Just say you’re sleeping at Gina’s and I’ll drive you home in the morning_ ”

Amy: ” _Jake! I can’t lie to my parents!_ ”

Jake: ” _It’s not really a lie tho... We ARE sleeping at Gina’s house_ ”

Amy: ” _It’s not really the truth either. I don’t know about this, Jake._ ”

Jake: ” _I promise it’s gonna be fine_ ”

Amy: ” _Sure?_ ”

Jake: ” _Super sure_ ”

Jake: ” _That’s a Peralta guarantee_ ”

* * *

 

Jake would have loved to say that his Friday went off without a hitch, but that would be a lie. First, mr. Pembroke, his English teacher, had yelled at him for literally the tiniest thing. Second, he had managed to drop most of his lunch on the floor. Third, he couldn’t find any alcohol in his house that wasn’t wine. So now he was quietly scrambling around, desperately looking for something — anything — to bring along to Gina’s party without alerting his mother. He couldn’t bring his mom’s last bottle of wine; he wasn’t that stupid. He checked the clock on the microwave. 7:36 p.m. That meant he would have to leave in like, _now_. Desperate times call for desperate measures. His socks slid on the tile floor as he dashed over to the fridge to grab whatever he could find that was bringable. With a bottle in hand he rushed into his room to speed-pack his overnight bag. Drink, spare shirt, toothbrush, phone charger, go.

”Bye mom!” he called from the entryway whilst struggling to get his feet in his sneakers. Karen Peralta peeked in from the living room with a kind smile.

”Have fun Jake. Call me when you’re coming home,” she said.

”Yep,” her son replied as he went out the door. He hopped in the car, started the engine so he could blast the heating and then he pulled out his phone to let Amy know he was on his way.

 

Amy was waiting on the curb outside of her house with her overnight bag over her shoulder and a red and black plaid scarf hiked up over her nose.

”Are you seriously that cold?” Jake asked as Amy got settled in the passenger seat, rubbing her hands for warmth. ”It’s only like 30 degrees out!”

Amy shot him a glare as she unraveled the scarf from her neck. Jake put his hands up and chuckled.

”Kidding,” he said, grinning. Amy briefly returned the smile. A silence filled the car.

”Did you actually BYOB?” she asked after a moment.

”Sort of.” Jake reached around into the back seat for his bag, and out of it he pulled out an unopened bottle of orange soda. Amy raised an eyebrow at him.

”What? It _is_ a bottle,” Jake said, still grinning broadly. Amy just rolled her eyes at him, but Jake could see that she was smiling.

 

”Ready to go?” he asked.

”Yeah.”

”Great. You’re in charge of music.”

”Nuh-uh. You’d hate my music.”

Jake looked at her with raised eyebrows.

”Eyes on the road, Peralta! But yeah. I doubt you’d like my playlist.”

Jake wasn’t so sure he’d dislike Amy’s playlist (he was a bit of a jack-of-all-trades when it came to music), but he didn’t feel like arguing with her about it. Instead, he handed her his phone without taking his eyes off the road.

”Just put on anything. There should be an AUX somewhere on your side.”

”Got it,” Amy responded. ”Uh... what’s your passcode?”

”4337.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Amy look at him with what he assumed was surprise.

”You give me your passcode just like that?” she asked.

”Yep,” he replied with a slight nod. Amy didn’t respond, and soon there was a soft tune playing from the speakers. Jake bobbed his head lightly along with the beat. There was something about this moment that felt so... soft. He looked at Amy, who was looking out the passenger seat window and smiled softly.


	6. Chapter 6

After a few minutes, Amy broke the silence.

”Who’s this?” she asked and gestured towards the car radio.

”Enya,” Jake replied. They were currently stopped at a red light, so he took the chance to glance over at Amy. She still looked sort of uptight.

”Something bothering you?” he asked. Amy shook her head but still opened her mouth to say something.

”Why’d you drive like halfway across town just for me? I don’t exactly live conveniently for you to just pick me up on your way.”

Jake was at a crossroads; not a literal one, but a metaphorical one. Should he try being witty or should he get real? Either option could make things awkward.

”Well... You deserve it. Going to the party, I mean. You need to let loose a bit,” he said.

”You think so?”

”Mhm. Yeah.”

Amy didn’t say anything else, she just nodded. Jake didn’t feel like saying anything either. This was the longest conversation the two of them had had without any sort of witty banter or joke that wasn’t school-related, and honestly, it felt a little weird. But also kind of good. Maybe he should be like this more often, at least with Amy. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, with the exception of the music playing quietly. When they reached Gina’s place, Jake was forced to show off his pretty lackluster parallell parking skills.

”See, this is why I don’t drive,” Amy said, sounding amused as the car engine was finally turned off.

Jake looked at her as he pulled the keys out of the ignition.

”You laugh, but just wait until I’m tragically injured in a car accident and you’ll have to drive me to the hospital and parallell park. Who’s laughing then?”

”It for sure isn’t going to be you,” she said with a chuckle. ”Let’s go.”

 

Gina’s apartment was pretty crowded when they stepped in through the door. It didn’t take very long before Gina herself met them by the door. She looked like she was in a good mood, and probably already a little tipsy.

”Heeey guuuys, don’t take your shoes off, I don’t like the carpeting anyway. Leave your bottles or whatever on the kitchen counter, have a drink. Cool. See you around losers,” she said, but she smiled at them before she walked off and rejoined the group of people in the living room. Jake led a lost-looking Amy into the kitchen where he deposited his two-liter soda bottle, and she fished out a bottle of vodka from her bag.

”Woah! You’re not going easy, huh?” Jake asked when he saw what she brought.

”Tony had a bottle and I don’t think he’ll miss it that much,” she replied and Jake honestly thought she looked smug. Who was this girl and what had she done to Amy? Jake grinned at the thought of Amy having an identical twin that partied for her.

”Guess it was good I brought that after all,” he said with a gesture to the soda. ”I sure as hell am not drinking that without a mixer.”

Amy gave a quick smile before setting her bottle down on the kitchen counter next to Jake’s.

”Come on, let’s put our bags away before we grab a drink,” Jake said and in a moment of extreme bravery he took hold of Amy’s wrist to lead her toward Gina’s room.

 

He opened the bedroom door as little as humanly possible and tossed the two bags inside without stepping out of the hallway. He figured that it would look suspicious if he and Amy went into a bedroom together at a party, and he wasn’t having that. There would be no rumors spread at Amy Santiago’s expense tonight.

 

A while later the entire squad had found each other and set up camp in a corner of the living room, sitting on cushions and with their beer cans or plastic solo cups on the floor in front of or next to them. Every so often Gina left them to be a good host — her words, not Jake’s. It was during one of these Gina-less minutes that a surprisingly drunk Charles leaned into Rosa and mumbled something Jake couldn’t hear because of the music that was filling the apartment.

”Okay, yes! I am,” Rosa exclaimed, and Jake didn’t know if he was hallucinating or if Rosa’s cheeks reddened as she spoke. Charles looked absolutely overjoyed, which led Jake to believe that he had finally solved his mystery of who was Rosa interested in. He leaned forward towards Charles to ask, but just as he opened his mouth, Gina had returned. In her arms she had more alcohol. More specifically — she had a fresh beer for everyone and what looked suspiciously like Amy’s bottle of vodka.

”Let’s play a game!”


	7. Chapter 7

Jake cheered in agreement along with the others in their corner. Gina knelt down and deposited the drinks onto the floor.

”Okay, any suggestions?” she asked.

”How about never have I ever?” Rosa piped up. The others nodded.

”Cool, cool. Let’s do it,” Jake said with a big grin.

”Alright! The rules; if you’ve done it, you drink. Every fifth time you drink you do a shot,” Gina announced, which was met with more nods and general agreements. And with that, they got started. It took a while before Jake got a chance to drink — sure, he maintained the image of a cool and experienced guy, but in reality he hadn’t done most of the heinous stuff his friends suggested. Gradually, other people started to join in on the game.

”Never have I ever gotten some action in a car,” someone that Jake didn’t really know said and wiggled his eyebrows. Jake raised the plastic cup to his lips, which was met with an interjection from Gina.

”You’re full of crap, Jake! You have not had sex in a car!”

Jake nearly spit out his drink when he started laughing. Sober Jake probably wouldn’t have laughed, but Drunk Jake found this statement somehow hilarious.

”Wouldn’t you like to know!” he retorted. Truth be told, he hadn’t. He had totally misunderstood the statement, but that didn’t really matter right now; what mattered was that he was here with his friends and he was having a great time. He felt Amy shifting on the cushion next to him and he looked on in mild confusion as she got up and left the room, leaving her nearly untouched drink on the floor. He didn’t get up and followed her though. Who knows, maybe she had gone to the bathroom?

 

But after nearly ten minutes, she hadn’t returned to her cushion, and Jake had the sneaking suspicion that she hadn’t gone to the bathroom. Slowly, he got up as well and made his way into the hallway. He found her sitting on the floor by the bathroom door with her legs drawn up to her chest and her arms around them. She was resting her chin on her knees. She looked like she was sulking. Jake carefully slid down to the floor next to her.

”Something the matter, Ames?” he asked. He didn’t usually call her anything besides ”Amy” but this time, the nickname just slipped out. It felt weirdly right to say it. Amy lifted her chin and looked at him. Her dark hair, which was let down from its usual ponytail for the occasion, framed her frowning face.

”I’m not a fan of drinking games,” she said. ”I don’t like how you’re expected to have done all these things.”

”Hey,” Jake said softly and nudged her a little with his arm. She looked away from him and stared at the wall across from them instead.

”I know it’s dumb,” she said.

”No it’s not,” he replied.

”You don’t have to lie to make me feel better.”

”I’m not lying. It’s really not dumb. You know what is dumb though?”

Amy gave him a quizzical look, but sadly his reply couldn’t be heard thanks to the sudden cheering from the other room. Once the inital wave of noise died down, they could hear the sound of a drumbeat that unmistakeably belonged to a Backstreet Boys song.

”Nevermind, I change my answer. It’s dumb that we’re sitting here when they’re playing some of history’s greatest music out there!” he said over the music. In a flash he was back on his feet, hands stretched out for Amy to take. He ushered her back out into the living room, where the game of never have I ever seemed to have ended. People were loudly singing along to the lyrics. Some had gotten up to dance. Jake joined in without second thought.

”Am I original? Yeaah! Am I the only one? Yeaah!”

Drunk Jake was obviously not a good singer, because Amy had broken out in a fit of laughter at his loud quote-unquote musicality.

”Come on Santiago! I know you know the lyrics!” he shouted between choruses. She looked reluctant, but she did join in, and by the end of the song she was smiling widely. Before Jake could stop himself, he said something Sober Jake would never have had the balls to say.

”You’re beautiful.”

Amy raised her eyebrows, but she was still smiling at him. And it seemed like Drunk Jake had absolutely zero control over his words because he spoke again.

”I hope you know that. And uh, I kinda want to kiss you,” he said just as the speakers started blaring a new 90’s boyband song. Amy wasn’t smiling as wide anymore.

”You’re drunk,” she said.

”That I am,” he responded, his intoxicated brain not really understanding why she had said that. Then the chorus of ”Bye Bye Bye” reached Jake’s ears and the moment had passed; he was back to scream-singing songs he usually wouldn’t admit to knowing the lyrics to.

 

* * *

 

Jake awoke the next morning, not fully aware of where he was with a headache and a mouth drier than a freaking desert. He groaned as he came to and sat up. Ohh! Now he knew where he was! He was at Gina’s place. More precisely, he was on her living room couch. 

”Morning.” Amy’s voice startled him; he hadn’t seen her sitting curled up by the armrest at his feet. He had to squint to see her, the morning light was just a little too bright for his tastes.

”Morning,” he replied with a voice that he could best describe as sandpaper-sounding.

”How are you feeling?” she asked. ”You went pretty hard last night.”

Jake thought he saw a little smile on her lips, and he responded with a light chuckle of his own.

”Huh, yeah, I did. I feel a little crap. Don’t worry though, I’ll still get you home before tonight,” he said as the realisation of his Peralta guarantee dawned on him.

”Let me get you some water.” She got up and disappeared into the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with a large glass filled pretty much to the brim with water.

”Thanks,” Jake said before he took the glass and basically inhaled the water.

”Don’t worry about it. Worry about the poor guy passed out in there,” she said. As she spoke, she cocked an eyebrow and shot a look toward the kitchen.

”Wait seriously? Who?”

”I don’t know him, but at least he has a pillow, so... that’s good I guess.”

Jake nodded slowly, feeling a little too mushy to investigate further. Although he did wonder how many people were still here. Hopefully not too many.

 

”I’ve been uh... thinking,” Amy said quietly after a period of silence. Jake shot her a curious look.

”Last night you said that you...” she paused and took a breath in. She looked a little nervous. ”You said that you kinda wanted to kiss me.” Jake’s stomach dropped. He had zero memory of saying that.

”Oh, I told you?” he asked.

”Did you mean it?”

He took a deep breath. If there ever was any such thing as a good moment, this was it. That didn’t make this feel any less nerve-wracking though.

”Yeah. I meant it,” he finally said. ”Still kinda do, to be honest.”

Amy sat silent for a little bit, her arms wrapped around her legs. She was nodding.

”Okay. Good,” she said, still in the same kind of nervous manner as before. And before Jake was really aware that it was happening, she had leaned in to kiss him right on the lips. It was soft and warm and sweet and everything Jake would have dreamt it would be — except that he was hungover.

”Because I kinda want that too,” she said when she pulled away. She was smiling. Jake could feel the corners of his eyes crinkling thanks to his own grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this felt a little extra appropriate because of the highschool reunion episode (thank you dan goor for that gift)   
> i hope you liked this chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

Amy’s cheeks were bright red when she pulled away. Jake had seen her blush like that only once before; in freshman year when she had tried (and failed) to impress mr. Cozner in a way Jake couldn’t remember well anymore. At the time, Amy believed that she’d never live that embarrassment down, but everyone had let it go barely a week later. This time though, Jake hoped she wouldn’t live down for a while.

”Do you think we could talk... about this?” she asked, her eyes focused on a spot somewhere to the left of Jake’s ear. ”I want us to be on the same page.”

Jake nodded. ”Of course. Whatever you want.”

”Is there anywhere we could talk just the two of us?”

”Uh... guest bedroom maybe?” Jake suggested, but he wasn’t sure that it would be very private — he wasn’t sure how many people had stayed the night or where they were all sleeping. After all, there was a guy passed out in the kitchen so anything’s possible. The two of them made their way to the guest bedroom door, which Jake silently pushed open. He stuck his head in the room to check if there was anyone already in there. Empty. He turned to look at Amy with a light smile. He cocked his head to beckon her inside and she followed him inside, closing the door behind her. Despite the light streaming in through the window, Jake flicked on the cieling light — he felt like it made things feel less... suggestive. Amy had quietly padded across the carpeted floor and taken a seat on the bed. Just as Jake was about to do the same, he was struck by a mild panic. Would it be weird for him to sit down on the bed with her? Or should he take the desk chair? Come on, Peralta, it’s not life or death.

”Earth to Jake,” Amy’s voice said, sounding amused. ”What are you doing?”

”Uhhh—” he said, feeling absolutely lost. Why couldn’t he keep his cool all of a sudden?

”Just sit down,” she chuckled and patted the mattress next to her. Still feeling sheepish, Jake obeyed.

 

The feeling of awkwardness didn’t dissapear when he sat down. Sure, he wasn’t just standing in the middle of the room like a weirdo anymore, but he had no idea what to say. There’s seriously no way to have this type of conversation organically.

”Er... What should we talk about? Where should we start, I mean.” Jake felt a heat flush across his face as he spoke. His mouth felt uncomfortably dry again and he wished he still had a glass of water.

”We should probably start with the whole... kissing each other thing,” Amy answered. She sounded like she felt just about as awkward as Jake. At least that was a relief.

”Good idea.”

An uncomfortable silence filled the room as neither of them made the desicion to start. After a moment, Amy proved to be the braver person and took initiative.

”Was it okay? That I kissed you. I should have asked—” she rambled, evidently still nervous.

”No, no, it was fine. More than fine,” Jake assured her, and with that, she fell silent again. ”I’m just sorry it happened because I got drunk. I kind of always thought I’d have the balls to confess sober.”

Amy smiled, relaxing a bit as they started falling into their usual pattern of banter.

”You give yourself too much credit,” she said.

”Hurtful,” Jake retorted with mock hurt in his voice. Somewhere deep down, he knew Amy was right. His feelings and emotions were always something umcomfortable to discuss. All the courage in the world probably wouldn’t have helped him tell Amy how he felt. But now that his feelings were out there, he felt like trying to be bold. Leap first, think later.

”Do you think we could, uh... Do you think this could lead to something?” As soon as the words came out of him, he felt weirdly naked. And not the sexy kind of naked. His feelings still made him uncomfortable.

”I don’t know, Jake,” she said and Jake’s stomach dropped, his insides became a vacuum. ”I like you, but what if things get weird?” she continued.

”So let’s not make it weird!”

Amy still didn’t look fully convinced, which honestly wasn’t surprising. Jake had learned over the years that once Amy had an anxious thought it wouldn’t leave very easily.

”Ames...” Jake’s voice softened. ”I like you. You like me. I think we should give it a shot. If it gets weird then it gets weird, but at least we tried,” he said in a desperate attempt to get through to the part of Amy not plagued by overthinking and worry.

”But what if we regret it?” she objected.

”Don’t you think we’d regret it more if we didn’t give it a shot?”

This seemed to be what she needed to hear, because she looked less rigid as she digested Jake’s words.

”I really want to,” she said. ”Let’s give it a shot.”

 

The vacuum in Jake’s stomach dissapeared and was replaced with a soaring sensation. He smiled as he carefully placed his palms on Amy’s cheeks to pull her closer. He was very eager to kiss her, to have it last. Their lips were maybe an inch or two apart and Jake slid his eyes shut. Just as they were about to make contact, he heard the door open. The two of them jolted apart like they’d recieved a shock. In the doorway stood Rosa.

”Woah,” she said. And to Jake’s surprise, Gina appeared in the doorway from behind Rosa.

”Didn’t I tell you?” Gina said and shot Rosa a look. ”This proves I can’t ever be wrong. I cannot.”

”What’s going on?” Amy interjected, and Jake thought she sounded about as puzzled as he felt.

”Gina bet that you two’d make out—”

”—And I was _right_!”

”Okay first of all; Jake and I were not _making_ _out_ , and second; I was more wondering what you two are doing here because you sure weren’t looking for us,” Amy said with a sort of fierceness in her voice that Jake found scary, but also kinda hot. Something else that struck Jake (other than that wildly confusing combination of emotions) was how right she was. It seemed very out of character for Rosa of all people to actively go looking for people kissing. That’s when it struck him. His eyes darted from Rosa, who was pointedly not looking at any of them, to Gina. If he was right about this, he should become a detective for real.

”Oh my god,” he said, a grin spreading across his face. ”I just solved Boyle’s mystery.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, sorry it’s been so long since i posted the last chapter. i haven’t had much time or energy to write on this and i’ve had to deprioritize. in the future i’ll try to update once a week but i can’t promise anything. i hope you liked this chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

Neither Rosa nor Gina had the reaction Jake wanted from them. He wanted their cheeks to go red in the way his had done, he wanted a sense of victory over figuring it out, but he was disappointed. Both of them looked pretty much unfazed. The only real change in any of their faces was the slight upturn of Rosa’s lips.

”Guys, that really wasn’t the reaction I wanted,” he said. ”I figured it out! Give me some cred!”

”At least there was something to figure out, Mr. Obvious,” Rosa retorted without missing a beat.

”I’m not that obvious,” Jake gruffed, averting his eyes. For being the best potential detective-slash-mystery solver in the squad, he sure wasn’t feeling like it.

”You were so obvious,” Gina stated matter-of-factly. ”Anyway you’re just jealous because we’re hotter than the two of you.”

”Pfsh-” Jake sputtered, nearly showering his lap with spit.

”Yes we are,” she teased. ”But I’m sure you nerds are great for each other, congrats.” She and Rosa closed the door and left Jake and Amy alone once more. Amy looked pretty confused when Jake turned back to face her.

”What just happened?” she asked. Jake shrugged lightly.

”Gina,” he said as if it was a good explanation. ”Anyway — back to us. Where were we?” Not that he had forgotten. How could he forget that he was about to kiss Amy Santiago? Kiss her for realz. Once again he cupped her cheeks in his hands and leaned in.

 

Somehow, kissing when both of them were aware of what was about to happen was weirder than the spontaneous kiss Amy had given him earlier. Their foreheads bumped together, which made Jake laugh. His nose scrunched up as it tended to do when he laughed.

”Sorry,” he said before finally put his lips on hers. It was by no means the romantic movie kiss he had found himself imagining the two of them having, but in a way this was much better. No one remembered a romcom kiss for very long. They separated after a few seconds, and Jake looked Amy in the eyes. She was smiling, and so was he. God, she was gorgeous. Her brown eyes wrinkled at the corners when she smiled, and her dark hair fell so perfectly over her shoulders. He could look at her for hours.

”Can you imagine when Charles finds out?” he asked. The question had come from nowhere and it had slipped out before Jake had been able to stop it. Amy gave him a look like she didn’t really believe what he’d just said.

”Why would you say that right after we kiss?” she asked. Her words rang with bewildered laughter.

”I’m sorry, it’s just- a lot going on in here,” he said, gesturing to his head. ”But I mean, he’s gonna lose his mind.”

Amy bit her lower lip for a second before she spoke;

”I think you’re right.”

”I think he’s been wanting you to be my girlfriend more than me,” he said. ”Close call, though.”

Amy chuckled. ”So we’re boyfriend girlfriend?”

”If that’s okay with you.”

Amy tucked her hair behind her ears, looking a little flustered.

”Yeah, that’s okay,” she said softly, and she leaned in again and kissed Jake lightly. A thousand butterflies had made their way into his stomach. Girlfriend. Amy Santiago had agreed to be his girlfriend. It was almost too good to be true.

 

They spent the hours in the wait for Jake to be able to drive in Gina’s living room with a handful of other people. Initially, Amy had sat next to Jake with her knees drawn up to her chest, but with time she had relaxed and now her knees were resting on his lap. Gina and Rosa were sitting next to them on the couch, and Gina was fully reclined with her legs sprawled over Rosa’s. The rest of the people were ones that Jake didn’t really recognize, but they were all united in watching America’s Next Top Model and shouting commentary at the TV.

”No, sweetie just let him cut your hair!”

”Oh god she’s about to fa— ohhhhh!”

”If she doesn’t get eliminated soon I’ll scream.”

Amy tilted her head towards Jake. ”I didn’t know you were so invested in reality TV,” she told him. He grinned at her.

”Are you kidding? I live for reality TV,” he said jokingly.

”I can’t believe I kissed you,” she said, mock disgust in her voice. Jake’s laugh was drowned out by the onslaught of shouting as one of the contestants were eliminated.

”Aw that’s too bad, I kinda liked her,” Amy muttered.

”Wow Ames, I didn’t know you were so invested in reality TV,” Jake chuckled and gave her a nudge with his elbow.

”Shut up,” she responded, playfully smacking his arm. ”I’m not perfect.”

Jake smiled, returning his eyes to the TV. ”Sure.”

 

It was somewhere around 4:30 p.m. when Jake pulled up by Amy’s house to let her off. Once the car was still, they sat in silence for a few seconds.

”Thanks for getting me out of the house,” Amy said. ”Turns out it wasn’t so bad after all.”

”I’m glad to hear it,” Jake answered. He looked out the passenger side window at her house. At least the outside of it looked very well cared for. As for the inside, he hadn’t ever been in Amy’s house so he didn’t know. He guessed it was probably immaculate as well.

”I should go inside,” Amy said, grabbing the shoulder strap of her bag that was sitting on her lap. She reached for the door, but she stopped abruptly before she opened it. She turned the other way and leaned over the console and planted a quick kiss on the corner of Jake’s mouth.

”See you on Monday,” she said and ducked out of the car.

”See you.”

When Jake was back on the road, he put the music on blast, shouting along to the lyrics. His mood was the best it had been all week, and how couldn’t it be? He and Amy were a thing. Romantic stylez!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy valentine’s day! i hope it is/was good, valentine or not. i also hope you enjoyed this chapter 😊


	10. Chapter 10

Jake hurried across the slurry-covered parking lot, ducking past people and cars alike. He found Gina exiting her car on the other end of the lot from where he had found a spot. How did she always manage to park so close to the school? That was a mystery that had been unsolved for almost 2 years at this point. They walked in together, and to Jake’s mild surprise, Gina followed him to his locker even though hers was another hallway down. Things started clicking into place when he saw Rosa digging through her own locker and he remembered what had gone down on Saturday. Or was it Friday? He made a mental note to ask them sometime. On his left, Gina picked up her pace and approached Rosa who had now seen them. She raised her hand at Jake before turning her attention to Gina. They were quietly chatting a few lockers down from Jake’s, and to say the least, it was a new experience seeing either of the two making so much physical contact. If Jake wasn’t so confused by the sudden levels of affection, he would think it was cute. Rosa and Gina seemed oddly perfect for each other when Jake thought about it.

”It’s really weird seeing you two have feelings,” he said as he closed his locker.

”Unlike you,” Rosa said sarcastically.

”Toxic masculinity is a prison,” Jake told her as if it was something he said all the time. Gina gave him a sort of confused look.

”Anyway let’s go!” he said and set off toward his first class of the day; geometry. No way a monday morning with his schedule would have had him so excited if it weren’t for the fact that he was in the same classes as Amy the whole morning. That was pretty exciting.

 

Gina, Rosa and Jake entered the classroom together (by some miracle the entire squad had geometry during the same period with the same teacher) and took their usual seats toward the back wall which was plastered in posters that all in some way related to math. Jake didn’t understand some of the creative decisions the teachers at this school made.

”Good morning Ames,” he said as he slid into his chair, and he would be lying if he didn’t make an effort to be smoother than usual.

”Hi,” she replied. An awkward silence spread between them as Jake frantically searched his brain for something to ask her. In a slight panic he said the first thing that came to mind:

”Uh... did you sleep well?”

”Did you sleep well?” Gina interjected and exchanged a look with Rosa, who was by the looks of it, trying her hardest not to laugh at Jake. Amy ignored them and continued the conversation as if it wasn’t the most awkward thing to ever grace human ears. What a champion.

”I slept alright. Did you finish your homework?”

”It’s like listening to grandparents trying to dirty talk each other,” Gina whispered to Rosa. A very loud whisper.

”How would you know that?” Amy asked, but she seemed to immediately regret asking that, because she shook her head pretty much before she even reached the end of the question. ”Don’t answer that.”

”I second all of that,” Jake said and gestured towards Amy. ”And yes, I did finish it.”

”Even the back?”

”No, I did not finish it.”

Amy rolled her eyes at him, but a smile was still lingering on her lips. ”How did I agree to be your girlfriend?”

 

”You’re his what?”

Charles had arrived in the room without anyone noticing him. Until just now, when he essentially yelled the question, warranting many confused and annoyed looks from the other people in the room.

”Girlfriend, Charles,” Amy said. ”And can you please not be so loud? I don’t like it when people stare.”

”Yeah, yeah sorry,” Charles said objectively less loudly. ”But girlfriend! It’s like all my prayers have been answered. There’s just one thing missing.” He looked over the back of his chair at Gina and Rosa, but before any of them got the chance to say anything, they were interrupted by the bell.

 

* * *

 

Jake walked hand in hand with Amy to the cafeteria at lunch. Things had thankfully gotten less weird and awkward since the beginning of the day and they were talking like they usually did.

”I honestly think Ms. Hawkins is guilty of murder,” Jake said.

”Oh yeah definitely,” Amy agreed. Nobody really liked the social studies teacher Ms. Hawkins. Jake had been pretty excited to see her name on his timetable at the start of the year; he’d always heard that she was like the coolest, most badass teacher the school had to offer, but she just turned out to be kind of mean.

”Who do you think she killed?” he asked.

Amy contemplated the question for a second, her eyebrows drawing together as she thought. ”Mmm... Probably JFK. Or like, three students.”

”Or both,” Jake added, and Amy nodded in agreement.

”I know this is kind of short notice,” she said after a beat of silence. ”But do you think we could get something to eat after school? You have your mom’s car right?”

”Yes on the car question, but I can’t afford eating out right now. I’m sorry.”

”We could just get drive-through fries or something. I’m actually free tonight and I want to hang out just the two of us.”

”Fries? Who are you and where’s Amy?” Jake chuckled.

”Do you think I never eat junk food?” she asked, sounding bewildered. ”Will you just let me buy you some gross fries, Peralta?”

”Of course, Santiago,” he said and placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

 

* * *

 

”Where to, boss?” Jake asked as he turned the key in the ignition. The engine (and thankfully, the heating) came to life almost immediately.

”Wherever we can get crappy, yet addictive fries,” Amy said as she fiddled with the AC on the passenger seat side. ”And a cup of coffee.”

”Yes ma’am. Could you put on some music?”

Amy obliged as Jake made the turn out of the parking lot and a poppy tune started pretty much blaring throughout the car. Jake scrambled frantically to turn down the volume.

”Sorry! Sorry! I need loud music to cope on Mondays,” he said once the music wasn’t loud enough to drown out an explosion.

”How are you not deaf?” his girlfriend asked with a scowl.

”Huh?” Jake replied, much to Amy’s horror. When he saw the look she gave him, he started laughing hard enough to make him snort.

”I really got you there huh?” he chuckled.

”Shut up,” Amy said and punched his arm, but seeing as the punch didn’t hurt and she hadn’t sounded legitimately mad, Jake figured he was still in the clear. He pulled in to the McDonald’s drive-through while still grinning widely.

”McDonald’s? Really?” Amy asked.

”You sound disappointed. Are you telling me the golden arches don’t bring you unbridled joy?”

”If this place brings you unbridled joy then you need help.”

”Noted,” Jake said before leaning out of the lowered window to place his order. ”Hey, I’d like a large fries, a medium soda and uh, a coffee.”

”With milk,” Amy added, tapping Jake on the arm.

”With milk,” Jake repeated. ”Thank you very much.”

 

Once dinner had been paid for and was safely resting in a paper bag on Amy’s lap, Jake shifted in his seat to face his girlfriend.

”Where do you want to go?” he asked.

”Could we go back to school?”

”If you want to go back to school for a date then you need a therapist, Ames.”

”We’re not going back in there,” she said. ”But we can sit in the parking lot without having to pay.”

”I like the way you think,” Jake said with a smile and turned back onto the road they’d taken on their way to get their food.

 

* * *

 

Amy’s playlist was the soundtrack of choice as they ate.

”What’s this song?” Jake asked before as good as inhaling some more of the fries.

”It’s Chicago. You don’t like it?”

”No, no I like it. I’ve just never heard it before.”

They sat quietly, eating their very cheap dinner and listening to the music. When the bag of fries was empty, Amy turned to look at Jake. She drew her knees up onto the seat and leaned on the backrest.

”You cold?” Jake asked.

She shook her head. ”No I’m good. Listen, I wanted to ask you something.”

”Shoot.”

”My parents are out of town for the weekend and I was wondering if you could stay over on Friday?”

Jake wiggled his eyebrows. ”Oooh, you want some _alone_ _time_ Ames?” he asked suggestively. Amy chortled and gave him a look he’d seen many times before whenever he’d told a cheap or bad joke.

”Shut up, you know I get anxious when I’m home alone,” she said. Then she was quiet for a moment before admitting;

”But yeah, we would be alone.”

A thousand thoughts spun through Jake’s busy brain, but the most frequent one was the question of was he about to have a whole lot of time alone with basically the perfect girl?

”Wait,” he said, just as much to his racing thoughts as to Amy. ”You asked me out just to ask that? Should I expect more of this in the future?”

Amy chortled again. ”Not really. I just wanted to be alone with you, you know? And when we’re alone I can do this without Charles fainting,” she said and pulled him in to a kiss unlike any kiss she’d given him before.

 

_Woah, she really was perfect, huh._


	11. Chapter 11

”There is _no_ _way_!” Jake hissed in disbelief over the table at Gina.

”Didn’t I tell you all year?” she responded. ”All. Year.”

”I still think it’s inappropriate,” Amy chimed in without taking her eyes off of the crossword she was solving.

”Yes, babe we know you don’t want to pry in our teacher’s and librarian’s love lives, but please Gina tell me what were they doing?”

Gina pushed her French textbook aside and leaned across the table to theater-whisper her intel.

”I saw them walking a dog-”

”What breed? Sheltie? Frenchie? Aussie?” Charles interjected, sounding a bit too excited.

”Stop saying dog breeds ending in -ie,” Rosa said, furrowing her eyebrows in what looked like disgust before returning her attention to Gina. ”Anyway, dog-walking isn’t very good evidence. Got anything else?”

”But please to tell the breed,” Jake added before Gina spoke again.

”Corgi,” she told Jake and Charles, both of whom exchanged looks that said ’Yeah, that checks out’. Gina turned back to Rosa. ”Oh yeah there’s more than the dog. Two words: grocery shopping.”

Amy finally put her pencil down and looked up from her crossword.

”That’s still very circumstancial,” she said.

”Nah they’re straight up boning,” Rosa replied.

”I don’t think straight is the right word,” Jake said with a big grin.

”Butt out Jake.”

”Yup.”

 

Jake was standing beside Amy’s locker, watching his girlfriend put away her books for the day.

”Do you really believe Gina?” she asked.

”About mr. Holt and mr. Cozner? Yeah, kind of.”

Amy peeked out of her locker and gave him a raised-eyebrow-look. ”Really?”

”I mean, I’ve known her my entire life. She tends to be right about this kind of stuff.”

”Don’t you think it’s kind of weird though? Kind of... invading their privacies type weird?”

”Is it though?” he asked. ”It’s not like she stalked them or anything. She just saw them while she was out.”

Amy looked skeptical. ”Do you believe that?”

”You don’t trust my judgement?” Jake asked. He hadn’t meant to sound so genuinely hurt, but he actually got kind of upset at her statement. Gina was one of his best friends and he trusted that her gossip was true enough to be trustworthy, and the fact that Amy obviously didn’t was kind of insulting, actually.

”I don’t trust Gina’s judgement,” she said, and her defensive tone didn’t make things better.

”That’s basically the same thing. We grew up together!”

”That doesn’t stop me from thinking she’s in the wrong!” she exclaimed, finally snapping. She then looked around and saw people staring more or less openly at them arguing and walked off, cheeks bright red. Jake didn’t follow her.

 

Jake: ” _Need_ _a_ _ride_ _home?_ ”

Charles: ” _I_ _was_ _going_ _to_ _take_ _the_ _bus_ ”

Charles: ” _But_ _this_ _is_ _an_ _offer_ _I_ _can’t_ _turn_ _down!!_ ”

Charles: ”🚫🚌👌🏻🚗🚗🙋🏻‍♂️👯‍♂️”

Jake: ” _What_ ”

Charles: ” _Sure_ _I’ll_ _take_ _that_ _ride_ ”

Jake: ” _Cool_ ”

Jake: ” _Parking_ _lot_ _asap_ _I_ _need_ _some_ _advice_ ”

 

* * *

 

Charles basically slammed down a pint of chocolate/vanilla ice cream and two spoons on Jake’s bedside table. Jake, who had been sulking in his room for at least the past hour did not know how to feel. On the one hand, his friend’s company meant he couldn’t keep brooding like he did; but on the other hand, ice cream. He decided that ice cream beat acting all depressed and removed his hood from his head.

”Woah, you really don’t mess around huh?” Jake said, eyeing the ice cream.

”If you really want to solve this fight then you need to be all business,” Charles gravely told him. He ripped the lid of the pint and stuck a spoon in Jake’s hand.

”Now, dig in and tell me everything,” Charles said and sat down on the bed next to Jake. Jake sighed as he stabbed the spoon in to the still very frozen ice cream.

”Well, I got all mad when she started talking about Gina. She made it sound like I shouldn’t be her friend or something. It’s stupid,” he said. He leaned back, letting his head bonk against the poster-covered wall.

”Did you explain yourself?”

”I mean I tried to, but she didn’t pick up when I called. Man, I was supposed to stay over at her place tomorrow...” He sighed again.

”That sucks,” Charles said, and he sounded genuinely bummed for Jake’s sake.

”I should just give her some space, right?” Jake asked. He didn’t look at Charles, he’d rather focus on his spoon bouncing against the rock hard ice cream in his hand.

”Honestly? Probably. Let her stew for tonight and then talk to her tomorrow. Leave her wanting more!”

”Not helping, Boyle.”

”Sorry, sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood. You’ve got this, Jakey.”

 

* * *

 

Finding Amy was surprisingly difficult. Whenever Jake looked in the library, the only person he found was mr. Cozner scowling at him, and Amy wasn’t in any of his classes on Fridays. How hard could it be to find a nerd that was also your girlfriend (for the time being, at least) in a school? She was nowhere to be found until lunch, when he finally spotted her in the cafeteria line.

”Hey,” he said, walking up to her as she left the line.

”Hi,” she said. Her tone made Jake’s heart sink a little in his chest.

”About yesterday-”

”Listen, Jake, I’m just going to be honest here. I don’t know if you should come over tonight.”

The words Jake had wanted to say came out as a series of splutters.

”I just feel like I need a little space right now. Not in a great headspace. Could we... postpone?”

”So... you’re not dumping me?” he asked. He was so sure he was about to be broken up with, but now he felt more confused than anything else.

”No, I’m not. I’m sorry things got heated yesterday. It was really unnecessary.”

”That’s what I thought!” Jake said, face lighting up. ”But... If you’re not mad at me, why do you want to postpone?”

Amy looked away for a brief moment before returning her gaze to Jake.

”I need some time. For me. To think. Sorry.”

 

Somehow, his conversation with Amy during lunch made him feel simultaneously better _and_ worse. Needless to say, he didn’t have much witty banter or jokes to tell at the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed this chapter! there probably won’t be more than two or three chapters after this one. thanks for reading and sticking with it!


	12. Chapter 12

Jake hopped over the gap between the bus floor and the curb, nearly slipping on a sneaky patch of ice. Luckily, he caught himself and no one seemed to have noticed. He walked down the block toward his house, absentmindedly humming the song stuck in his head — was it ”Blank Space”? Probably. Not that the song was the thing weighing his mind the most. He repeatedly found his thoughts returning to Amy. Amy who hadn’t dumped him, but still didn’t want to see him. _I_ _need_ _to_ _think_ she had said. About what? He knew it wasn’t really any of his business and she didn’t owe him an explanation, but that didn’t mean that he wondered what she needed to think about that demanded enough of her that she didn’t want him to hang out with her. It almost had to be about the two of them, right? Ugh. He kicked at the ground. The sound of his sole scraping against the asphalt made a bunch of pidgeons startle into flight, which in turn startled Jake out of his current train of thought. Since when did New York pidgeons get scared so easily? He spent the short rest of his walk home pondering about pidgeons. He slid his key in the lock and stepped inside. Was his mom not home? She was not exactly great at locking the door when she was in the house.

”Oh, I think he’s home!”

Okay, so his mom was home — with one or more guests.

”Jake?” Karen’s voice came from the living room. ”Come say hi!”

Jake kicked off his shoes and dumped his jacket on top of them before going to greet whoever it was his mom wanted him to see. Immediately upon entering, his heart dropped from his chest into his stomach.

”Oh. It’s you.”

 

”Hey there, son,” his dad said with a dorky grin that reminded Jake WAY too much of his own. It took almost all of Jake’s self control to not turn around on the spot and just leave.

”Why are you here?” he asked.

”I thought I’d visit. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Jake inhaled sharply through his nose. ”Mmhm.” It’s not like the man kept conveniently forgetting his son existed. Jake hadn’t gotten as much as a text from his dad since he turned 17. Thanks, in large part to that, he struggled to find a good reason to find his dad standing in his living room, talking to him as if he’d just been away for the weekend and not over a year.

”It’s good to see you,” Roger said. Jake saw his hand twitch as if he wanted to place in on Jake’s shoulder or something. Thankfully, he kept his hand down at his side.

”Sure. Good to see you too,” Jake deadpanned and turned back around to leave the room. ”I have to get my stuff.”

”But I thought you weren’t—” his mom started, but Jake was quick to interrupt.

”Change of plans.”

He ignored his parents’s protests and shut himself in his room. He pulled his half-packed overnight bag out from under his bed and started stuffing it with whatever he hadn’t packed yet. Spare hoodie. Socks. Underwear. Phone charger. That should be everything.

 

It wasn’t until he was in the car, pulling out of the driveway that he realized that he didn’t know where he was going. He also realized that maybe it was a bit dramatic of him to literally storm out of the house and pretty much run away at the mere sight of his dad. Well, it was too late to go back now. If he stormed out only to come crawling back, that would be like giving up. No thanks. Still, there was the question of where he was going to crash for the night. He knew Amy was off the table. Charles was usually very accomodating.

 

”Charles?”

”Jake! Sorry, I can’t talk for very long. Boyle family get-together. Is it an emergency?”

”Oh, okay. Well, I’ll talk to you later. Not an emergency.”

”You sure?”

”Yeah. Have fun, bud.”

 

So that was a major bust. Damn it. Maybe Gina?

 

Nothing. Rosa was also a no-go. Jake dropped his phone down onto the middle console with a sigh. He rested his forehead on top of the steering wheel. He really hadn’t thought this through. Maybe if he got some dinner, he’d think out a good solution. Otherwise he’d just have to... sleep in the car, probably. Or sneak back into the house later tonight and sleep at home. Hopefully dinner would bring him some brighter ideas.

 

It was getting pretty late, and Jake was sat in the back seat of the car in an empty parking lot, sipping on a chocolate milkshake. The only idea he had come up with in the last few hours was to call Amy and see if she’d at least let him crash at her place, even if she didn’t want to hang out with him. It was probably a better idea than the other quote-unquote solutions he’d so brilliantly come up with. Still though, he was really not excited to call Amy when she’d been asked to be left alone. Screw it. Desperate times. Before he could chicken out again, he picked up his phone to call Amy.

 

”Hello?” Amy’s voice said on the other end of the line.

”Hey-”

”I was just about to call you,” she continued, speaking pretty fast. Jake had to strain to keep up. ”Can you talk? I shouldn’t have insisted on staying home completely alone, I had a fight with David and I wanted to prove a point and now I’m kind of freaking out and-”

”Woah,” Jake told her, raising a hand even though she couldn’t see that. ”You’re talking too fast. Are you okay?”

He heard Amy let out a breath. ”Yeah, I’m just kind of...”

”Freaked out?” Jake asked.

”Mm.”

”Do you want me to come over?”

Amy was silent for a few seconds. Jake could almost see her eyebrows draw together in thought and he couldn’t help but smile a little.

”Could you do that?” she asked.

”Of course! I can’t really stay at home anyway,” he said.

”Oh, why?”

”Long story. I’ll be over in a few. Need me to bring anything?”

”No, just- get here.”

 

The world really was a fantastic place when things just fantastically worked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, sorry it’s been so long since i last updated this! i’ve been pretty busy lately and writing has been taking a back seat. anyway, i hope you liked this chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

Amy cracked the door open before the doorbell had even gone quiet. Her hair was tied into an uncharacteristically sloppy bun at the nape of her neck and she was wearing a zip-up sweatshirt Jake had never seen before. He couldn’t help but smile a little. It was great to see her in something that wasn’t a (usually floral) blouse.

”Hey,” he said.

She also had a small smile playing on her lips. ”Hey.”

”Can I come in?”

Amy stepped aside to let him in. Jake didn’t know if the Santiagos’ house was exactly what he’d expected, or if it was somehow  _ more _ . Everything was neat and orderly, even down to the shoe rack. Jake didn’t even think his house had a shoe rack. He kicked off his sneakers without much thought, but upon seeing Amy’s stern look he was quick to right his wrong the best he could. Once that was done, Amy led him into the living room, which was just about as neat as the entryway.

”Where do you want me to put the bag?” Jake asked, holding up his duffel. 

”Just put it where you think you’ll remember it,” Amy answered.

”You think too highly of me. If I let go of this then it’s yours indefinitely.”

Amy chuckled. ”That’s a risk I’m going to have to take. Just put it over there and I’ll remind you,” she said as she pointed to a patch of floor by the coffee table. With a quick word of thanks, Jake obliged.

 

”So,” he said, turning back to face his girlfriend. ”What’s going on? You said you were freaking out.”

Amy quickly tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and crossed her arms over her chest. 

”I don’t always do well alone,” she said. ”Anxiety.”

Jake nodded slowly, looking for something to say that could help. He couldn’t find the words he wanted before Amy continued her explanation.

”The house feels too big without anyone else here and it’s kind of… freaky sometimes. It used to be worse when I was younger but my mind still sometimes gets the better of me. That’s why I asked you if you wanted to stay with me earlier this week.”

”Then why’d you change your mind?” Jake asked. He really couldn’t make any sense of her change of heart, especially after her explanation.

”I told you, didn’t I? David said I couldn’t do the whole home alone thing and I wanted to prove him wrong. It was really dumb and I should have told you instead of just being vague about it but it just sounds so stupid.”

Jake’s lips curled into a little grin. ”It does sound kinda stupid. But you know what, I like stupid. I mean, come on,” he said, gesturing to himself. This brought another small laugh out of Amy. 

”Also,” Jake continued. ”I’m  _ delighted _ to know that you’re so competitive you’ll go a little crazy.”

Amy reached out to take his hand with a smile.

”You don’t even know the half of it,” she said softly. Was that a threat? 

”Do I… want to?” he asked.

”We’ll tackle that when we get to it.”

Jake nodded, making a mental note to make sure to avoid competing with Amy, though he was sure that was unavoidable. 

 

The two of them sat curled up on the still-too-new-to-be-really-comfortable couch, Amy wrapped up in a blanket and one of Jake’s arms. On the TV, a documentary about Africa that wasn’t as attention stealing as Amy’s fingertips absentmindedly tapping against Jake’s palm was playing.

”On the phone you said you couldn’t stay at home. Why’s that?” Amy asked completely out of the blue. Crap. Jake had totally forgotten he’d said that.

”Oh, uh…”

”You don’t- have to say if you don’t want to,” she was quick to add at Jake’s apprehension. He closed his fingers around hers and gave her a tight-lipped smile.

”Well I can’t just leave you hanging, can I?” he said, trying his best to keep his tone light.

”You could, but I  _ am _ really curious.”

The tension in Jake’s smile dissipated some at this. He took a deep breath and leaned against Amy.

”Did I ever tell you about my dad?”

”In passing.”

”Okay. So I’m guessing you’ve figured out he’s not the greatest at being a dad. I haven’t really heard from him since my 17th birthday until today, when he was just… in our living room when I got home.”

Amy put a few inches of distance between them so she could properly look at Jake. ”What did he want?” she asked.

”I don’t know. He never got around to that. I just got so angry when I saw him that I kind of stormed out,” he said. Repeating the afternoon’s events really made it clear how ridiculously he’d acted. Very mature, et cetera, et cetera. 

”I would have done the same,” Amy said, much to Jake’s surprise. His eyebrows knit together in confusion and Amy elaborated: ”Well, maybe I wouldn’t have stormed out of the house with nowhere to go, but I would have been freaking pissed.”

”Really?”

Amy nodded. ”Yeah. I mean, it isn’t really okay to ignore your kid’s existence for over a year and then show up without notice. That’s fucked up.”

Of all the things he’d expected her to say,  _ fucked up _ absolutely wasn’t one of them. In his shock, he let out a bark of sudden laughter.

”It kind of is, yeah,” he said. He sighed and leaned in closer to Amy again. 

 

They lapsed into a silence that wasn’t entirely uncomfortable and continued to watch the documentary. Jake’s phone buzzed in his jeans pocket. He shifted a bit to yank it out.

**Mom:** _Jake, are you coming home at all? I’m getting worried! Love you_

 **Jake:** _I’m staying at Amy’s_

 **Jake:** _Sorry for storming out like I did_

 **Jake:** _I’ll come home tomorrow_

**Jake** :  _ Love you too _

 

”What was that about?” Amy asked. 

”Just mom. I told her she doesn’t need to worry about me. I’ll talk to her and dad tomorrow. If dad’s still around.” He’d meant for that last part to be a joke, but there was a distinct bitterness to his voice. Amy hummed in response. 

”It’ll be okay,” she said then.

Jake smiled as he looked at her. ”Of course it will. I’ve got you.”

”That is  _ so _ cheesy,” Amy giggled. Jake huffed, though his smile never faltered.

”It’s called romance, Ames, look it up.”

She leaned in with a wry smile on her lips and gave him a peck on the cheek.

 

Jake hadn’t said what he said  _ just _ to be romantic, though. He’d genuinely meant it. Even if things with his dad blew up in his face, he knew that it would be fine in the end, much thanks to Amy’s presence in his life. She was so kind and supporting and caring, as had just been proved by her taking the focus away from her problems to talk about his, which she really didn’t have to do. Just thinking about that brought a smile to Jake’s face. His beautiful, funny, caring girlfriend.  _ I love her, _ he thought. The thought was spontaneous and purely accidental, but not really unwanted. He did love her, he realized. Though he didn’t say it. It was too soon, their relationship  _ way _ too early in its infancy for him to say it. He hoped he’d get to say it, though.  _ It’ll be okay. I love her. _

He was pretty glad that he had a hard time keeping his hopes down.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading this to the end, and an extra big thank you if you’ve stuck with it from the beginning! i’m very sorry about the very long hiatus without warning. still, i hope you enjoyed this very self-indulgent fic i wrote mostly on the bus on the way to and from school. as always, i super appreciate any comments and kudos you have to offer!<3


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